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E46 (1999 - 2006) The fourth generation 3 Series (E46 chassis) was introduced in 1999 and set the standard for engineering and performance during it's years of production including being named to Car & Driver's 10 best list every one of those years! ! -- View the E46 Wiki

View Poll Results: How many miles on your transmission before repairs or replacement needed?

I have 87k miles and my slips ( or not engaging for while, whatever you want to call it) first thing in morning when cold. Unfavorable tolerances of C1 I guess.
Talked with my mechanic and he said oil change most like will not help, in some cases can make it worse. He thinks rebuild is only cure.

Well, my mechanic was right, new oil did not help issue. However it was good to change oil anyway, it was needed.
Looks like software update is next shot. I told wife to warm it up longer in morning and to hold idle higher for little bit. It works so far.

My 2001 330ci has 80000 miles and the auto seems fine though it wants to "hunt" a lot between 3rd and 4th gears. It would be good to have a lock out for city driving. I haven't tried the manual mode MS. Guess I am afraid of messing with it.

My independent trans shop says $85 for fluid and filter ($75 if they did the rebuild/repair on it). It's so easy for them. Probably takes all of 10 min. They use Dexron VI in my ZF auto trans and suggest changes every 30K miles.

Tmack04, if you have a GM transmission with NO Reverse, then your repair may be easy to do, even for yourself. There is a DIY either here or at E46Fanatics that describes what to replace (just a servo motor in the valve body as I recall), not hard at all. It is all right there when you take the pan off.
Found the GM link:http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=706809

Mine is a ZF and the reverse ("D") drum sheared from being built too thin, so although it is only a ~$150 part they talked me into beefing up all sorts of parts in there with a grand total of about $2900, ugh. Wish I has seriously considered a switch to a manual at that time.

our (bought new and serviced at the dealer) 323i auto trans died.. not just reverse... at a hair over 50k. the dealer eventually replaced it but we had to act like lunatics to get them to pay. The root cause was a loss of AT fluid. 40k since and no problems, but I still don't have much confidence on this tranny and almost never use the selectronic anymore.

My car is a 2002 330Ci and originally had a post 2001/09 ZF auto in it. At around 145k miles I noticed an odd change in rmp at cruising. Engine revs would jump by about 200-300 rpm and stay at the higher rpm. When cold, for about 5 minutes it wouldn't change rpm at all. Then when crusing on the freeway it would jump 200-300rpm and did this constently for about another 5k miles. Then it started to randomly throw a code that couldn't be read by the Peake reader. but after a few starts the SES would turn off. Eventually I used the O'Reilly's code reader and came up with a P0741 - Torque converter or clutch solenoid.

Long story short I converted over to a manual 6-speed. Upon pulling the auto out and inspecting the torque converter, the seal had hairline cracks in it, causing it to leak under slight pressure.

I sold the transmission and it's still living on in another members car with another 25k miles on it. YMMV

I received the dreaded ! signal. The limp rev in drive. No problem in reverse.
I took my 330 Ci 2003 to the dealer and was told it was a computer problem and that after they re-initialized or whatever.. that it was okay. Drove off and everything seemed fine. 24 hours and 35 miles later the ! signal returns off and on and eventually limp mode returns. I return to dealer and was told the Trans is Kaput and $7K will bring it back like new.

I am in Vienna Virginia and am in need of a second opinion and based on the forum to try a fluid change first before a complete heart replacement.

Any suggestions. Oh bought it used no trans oil changed added 35K to 110K mileage.
Currently odometer is 143K bought it in 2009. No racing.

Had pretty much the same thing on my 1994 E36 with only 105k miles on it, but for $4000 fix and the trans was perfect 98% of the time.....and it only takes 30 seconds to reset the trans (all by it'self, by turning off the car for 30 seconds).... I let it ride for nearly 2 yrs. Not a single problem as I drove it like I stole it.

The problem was solved when some drunk ran up my drive and totaled the car.... tis why I have 2005 330 now.